Boiler-furnace



J. M. HOPWOOD.

BOILER FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-3. [917- 1,326, 1 97. Patented Dec. 30 1919.

f i WJ 4 X59 wgi fim imrrnn sTArEs' arnn'r UFFKQEQ JOHN M. HOPWOOD OF DORMONT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 DARWIN S.-WOLCOTT, TRUSTEE, OF SEWICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOILER-FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 30, 1919.

Application filed August 3, 1917. Serial No. 184,242.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, JOHN M. Horwoon, residing at Dormont, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Boiler-Furnaces, of which improvement the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to improvements in means for effecting the discharge of ashes from furnaces, the improvement being especially applicable for use in connection with mechanism for feeding fuel onto supporting members and causing a progressive movement of the fuel and ashes along such supporting members. In general terms, the invention consists of the combination of members for supporting fuel during combustion and a dump grate or plate adapted to receive the ashes from the supporting member and to continue the movement of such ashes across the plate or grate into the ashpit. The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a furnace having fuel feeding means combined with the improved ash discharging means; Fig. 2 is a View of the rear portion of the fuel supporting members and the ash plate or grate in inclined position; Fig. 3 is a detail view showing an alternative manner of reciprocatingthe ash plate or grate; Fig. 4 is a sectional detail showing the connection between the grate bars and their opening means, and Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the rear end of a portion of the grate bars.

It will be understood that while showing the improvement forming the subject matv ter of this application in connection with a specific form or construction of supporting and fuel feeding mechanism, the invention is not limited to any particular form or construction of fuel supporting members. nor to any particular type of mechanism for charging the fuel into the furnace.

In the construction shown herein. the fuel is fed into the hopper 1 extending along the front of the furnace and immediately above openings 2 through which the fuel passes into the furnace. said openings being preferably constructed with an upwardly inclined up per wall in order that the fuel may be piled up on the front ends of the fuel supporting members in the feeding operation. Upon a suitable bed or portion 3 is supported a series of plungers l which move transversely of the outlet of the hopper and force the fuel which drops in front of the plungers when at the extreme outer position, in through the throat and upward into the furnace. To these plungers, are connected pitmen 5 which have their opposite ends connected to suitable cranks on the power driven shaft 5. It is preferred that the several cranks be arranged at an angle relative one to the other, so that the operation of the plungers may be successive.

\Vhile any suitable means may be employed for reciprocating the fuel supporting members 6, the construction shown herein is found desirable for that purpose and consists of lugs 7 on the plungers I extending down through slots in the supporting bed and connected to the upper ends of levers 8 whose opposite ends are connected by pitmen 9 to one end of the arms 10 on a shaft provided with a series of arms connected to or in engagement with the fuel supporting members or grate bars 6. In the construction shown. the grate bars or members 6 are formed with non-connected longitudinal passages 12, said passages having openings adjacent to their inner and outer ends so as to permit of the flow of air there through. In the construction shown, the air for supporting combustion flows from the wind box 13 through the ports 14 in the grate bars and along the passages to the outlets 15 where the air enters into chambers 16 and flows up between the spaced bars or supporting members 6 and through the fuel resting thereon. As shown, these members 6 are so supported as to be capable of longitudinal movement by the mechanism hereinbefore described. The ashes which are caused to move along the grate bars or supporting members by the reciprocation of the latter, are discharged onto a dumping plate or grate 17 arranged in the space between the rear ends of the fuel supporting members and the rear wall of the fire box. The rear portion of this dump plate is supported upon arms 18 in such manner as to permit of a reciprocation of the plate or grate. In the construction shown, frames 19 provided with rollers are secured on the under sides of the plate or grate. the rollers resting on the arms 18. The edge of the plate adjacent to the end of the fuel supporting members, is sup ported by the upper ends of levers 20 mounted upon the shaft 21, carrying the arms 18 hereinbefore referred to. The lower ends of these levers are connected by pitmen 9.2 to levers 23 having their upper ends connected to lugs 7 on the plunger-s 4: so that on the reciprocation of the plungers, both the fuel supporting members and the ash plate or grate will be reciprocated but in opposite directions.

As will be seen by reference to Fig. 2, the

shaft 21, carrying the arms 18 is normally looked as against rotation through the Worm-Wheel 24 and the Worm 25, but by rotation of the Worm 25 the shaft can be ro-. tated, thereby shifting the arms 18 and the ash-supporting member to an angle which Will insure a movement of the ashes across the pla'teor grate when the latter is reciprocated. In order to insure the movement of the plate or grate with the arms the latter are provided along their sides With flanges 26 which are engaged by inward projections on fingers 28 connected to the plate or grate.

In the operation of the embodiment of the improvement as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the fuel in course of combustion is caused to move down along the fuel supporting surfaces and onto the dump plate or ash supporting member, such movement being insured by the reciprocation of the fuel sup porting members. As the fuel supporting members and the grate or plate move in opposite directions, the ends of the fuel supporting members will act as abutments When the plate moves to the lcft and thereby serve to push the ashes across and over the edge of the plate or grate. This movement which is facilitated by the reciprocation of the plate, insures that there Will always be a constant discharge, greater or less in quantity, from the edge of the plate into the ash pit. It is preferred to arrange the rear edge of the ash plate in such relation to a shoulder or projections 29 on the rear Wall of the fire chamber, that lumps of ashes, cinders, etc. will be cut or crushed so as to pass through the space between these parts into the ashpit. In case no such crushing or breaking up so as to permit of the discharge of ashes, can be effected by the reciprocation of the plate or grate, the latter may be turned by operation of the Worm 25 to such an angle as to insure the dumping of ashes from the plate.

It Will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, that the reciprocation of the fuel supporting members and of the ash plate or rate can be so adjusted that the movement of the fuel along the fuel supporting members and also across the ash plate or grate, will bear a certain tlefinite relation to the amount of fuel fed into the furnace. As is Well known, a greater amount of ash is formed in the combustion of some coals than in others, and by changing the inclination of the ash plate, the movement of ashes across the latter can be regulated in accordance with the percentage of ash formed; in other Words, provision can be made for adjusting this plate for slower movement of ash with good fuel and a faster movement with fuel in which a larger percentage of ash is formed. It will be observed that the reciprocation of the plate is in no Way affected or ,changed by the adjustment to greater or lessinclination, nor is there any material change of inclination by the reciprocation of the-plate.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3, proision is made for the movement of the ash supporting member in the same direction and simultaneous with the movement of the fuel supporting member, and in such construction the movement of-the ashes across the supporting member Willbe due to the reciprocation of the latter. In such case the ash supporting member will be adjusted to an angle slightly flatter than the angle of repose of the ashes formed by the combustion of the fuel on the grate bars.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the front portion of the ash supporting member is pivotally connected to the rear ends of the 'fuel supporting members While the rear portion of the ash support is connected by links 30 to arms 18" on the shaft 21 which is adapted to be rotated to change the inclination of the ash supporting member by a worm and worm Wheel as shown in Fig. 2.

I claim herein as my invention:

1. In a furnace the combination of fuel supporting members and angularly adjustable ash. supporting members, means for reciprocating the ash supporting members relative to the other to cause a movement of ashes across the ash supporting member Without materially changing the angular position of one member relative to the other.

2. In a furnace the combination of fuel supporting members, an ash supporting member, means for reciprocating the ash supporting member relative to the other to cause a movement of the ashes across the ash supporting member and means independent of the reciprocating means'for changing the inclination of the ash supporting member.

3. In a furnace the combination of fuel supporting members, an angularly adjustable ash supporting member, means for shifting the ash supporting membersrelative to the other to cause a movement of the ashes in the same direction as the movement of the fuel over the fuel supporting,member and means for locking the ash supporting member as against angular movement dur ing such reciprocation.

a. In a furnace the combination of fuel and mova supporting surfaces consisting of stationary le members, means for reciprocating the movable members, and angularly adjustable ash supporting member and means for reciprocating the ash supporting member independent of thefuel supporting member whereby fuel supporting members may operate to push the ashes across supporting member.

5. In a furnace the combination of means for charging fuel intothe furnace, fuel supporting members, means for reciprocating the fuel supporting members, an ash supthe ash porting member and means for reciprocat- 'a-shsupporting member, means for reciprocating the ash supporting member independent of the fuel supporting members to advance the ashes across such member in the same direction as the fuel movement and 'means for adjusting the angular position of the ash supporting member.

7. In a furnace the combination of fuel supports extending in the direction of movement of fuel through the furance, a pivotally mounted ash support, means for moving the ash support around its pivotal axis,

reciprocating the fuel supports longitudinally, an ash support adapted to be shifted to change its inclination relative to the fuel supports and means for reciprocating the 'ash support relative to the fuel supports whereby the ashes may be moved across the ash support in the direction of movement of fuel along the fuel supports.

9. In a furnace the combination of fuel supporting members extending in the direction of movement of fuel through the furnace, a pivotally mounted ash support, means for moving the ash support around its pivotal support, means for reciprocating the pivotal support of the ash support relative to the fuel supporting members whereby the fuel supports may push the ashes across the ash support in the direction of movement of fuel through the furnace.

10. In a furnace the combination of fuel supports, an adjustable ash support, means for reciprocating the ash support without changing its angular position relative to the fuel supports and means for changing the angular position of the ash support during its reciprocation.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN M. HOPWOOD. 

